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With the 2026 draft just over a week out, here are some miscellaneous thoughts, FWIW.
1. You can't do it all.
This is a very deep draft and the Pats have 11 picks, but we will not get everyone and meet every need. Trying to do it all can be the wrong approach. "The enemy of good is better." It's better to focus on key players and values who fit what you want.
2. Building an Identity
2025 was about building a competitive roster. We want to continue to build out the roster but we are already competitive. First and foremost, however, this draft should be about building an identity. Vrabel has miraculously raised the Pats from bottom-dwellers to SB contenders in a single season. Now, this is Vrabel's golden opportunity to build the team in the image he wants. More than anything - more than just adding talent or plugging holes - this should be the goal.
We pretty much know what that image/identity looks like for Vrabel. Talent and speed are a given. Good players, solid people. Sound fundamentals and work ethic. Team players. But above all, versatile, "effort and finish" and "violence".
The Pats outbullied the Chargers, Texans, and Broncos, then got bullied by the Seahawks. I bet that hurt. A lot. We want to be the bully kicking sand in other people's faces, not on the receiving end.
3. Building Around the Lines
To that end, I see this as a build around the lines Draft, which means passing on "shiny" (to use @DaBruinz term) offensive weapons, and even back end pieces. Shiny doesn't win championships. Bully does. Eliot Wolf talked a little about the lines being a strength of this draft.
4. Overloading is good.
Make what is good better, make what is better best. Championships are won with dominant units, not with average across the board. Rob Staton talks about this re the Seahawks:
Just because you have a decent starter on a unit doesn't mean you don't pass the opportunity to upgrade. Don't automatically pass on Keylan Rutledge or Emmanuel Pregnon just because you have Mike Onwenu. Don't automatically pass on Jacob Rodriguez just because you have Robert Spillane. Don't automatically pass on Kayden McDonald just because you have Christian Barmore. We want cornerstone players and identity changers, not placeholders or role fillers.
5. Reaching to fill holes is bad.
Above all, don't do this. The draft is not primaroly about filling holes for 2026. It is about building for the long term.
No need is absolute - not OL, not EDGE, not WR, not LB, not TE, not anything. We won't fill them all. The sky won't fall if we miss out on one, or more. Add long term difference makers and identity changers, not short term hole fillers and role players.
6. Late Day 3 and UDFA will have a huge impact.
I see this draft as having 2 halves fir the Pats: (i) Adding foundational talent and identity with picks 31-131; and (ii) adding depth and developmental talent, filling holes, and betting on traits with picks 171 and on.
If a foundational LB like Jacob Rodriguez or Jake Golday falls into our laps, take him. Otherwise, address the position day 3. The same holds at almost every other position.
A ton of draftable talent will go undraftable. The team could fill 1-2 holes through UDFA. Those top-30 visits will be huge in signing priority targets. Agreements should be in place prior to the draft.
7. Guys who seem to fit the Part:
Here's 20+ guys who I think epitomize violence, effort and finish, excluding guys who are likely to go top 20 (this is not a board):
1. Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami. Ok, I lied about the top 20 part, though Bain's driving fatality incident could drop him. But no player epitomizes violence, effort and finish more than Bain, who is basically Smokin' Joe Frazier with cleats.
2. Kayden McDonald, DL, Ohio St. Hulk Hogan mentality and physicality, Mikhail Baryshnikov feet. I love Caleb Banks, but if you are building an identity around violence, effort, and finish, McDonald's the guy.
3. Keylan Rutledge, IOL, George Tech. "I imagine myself putting my helmet through the other guy's chest." The only guy as violent as Rueben Bain. Described by many as the toughest player in the draft.
4. Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona St. A sumo wrestler. Great feet, powerful upper body, kamikaze mentality.
5. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson. A former wrestler, and it shows.
6. Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois. A former wrestler, and it shows.
7. Jake Golday, LB/EDGE, Cincinnati. One of the most versatile players in the draft, epitomizes effort and finish.
8. Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech. Darth Maul at LB. Jedi instincts, Sith mentality. CJ Allen has the Jedi skills, but not the Sith mentality.
9. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Nick Emmanwori lite in terms of athleticism, but much more violent and physical.
10. Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn St. Physically imposing, athletic, high effort guy.
11. Keyron Crawford., EDGE, Auburn. Unrelenting.
12. Sam Roush, TE, Stanford. Eff these receiving TEs and H-backs. The Vrabel offense needs guys who will kick defenders out of the club. Roush fits the bill.
13. Will Kacmarek, TE, Ohio St. See 12 above.
14. Keionte Scott. A DB with a LB mentality. Explosive, versatile playmaker.
15. Mike Washington, RB, Arkansas. Only RB on this list. Punishes defenders.
16. Chris Bell, WR, Louisville. Only WR on this list. Violence, effort and finish from a WR, who plays like a LB.
17. VJ Payne, DB, Kansas St. 6'3' 210# with 4.4 speed and outside CB coverage skills, but hits like Kam Chancellor.
18. Kaleb Proctor, DL, SE Louisiana St. Closest thing to Milt Williams in a while.
19. Trey Moore, LB/EDGE, Texas. Manx ahead of everyone yet again.
20. Jordan Van den Berg, DL, Georgia Tech. Those Georgia Tech linemen eat their Wheaties.
21. Rene Konga, DL, Louisville.
1. You can't do it all.
This is a very deep draft and the Pats have 11 picks, but we will not get everyone and meet every need. Trying to do it all can be the wrong approach. "The enemy of good is better." It's better to focus on key players and values who fit what you want.
2. Building an Identity
2025 was about building a competitive roster. We want to continue to build out the roster but we are already competitive. First and foremost, however, this draft should be about building an identity. Vrabel has miraculously raised the Pats from bottom-dwellers to SB contenders in a single season. Now, this is Vrabel's golden opportunity to build the team in the image he wants. More than anything - more than just adding talent or plugging holes - this should be the goal.
We pretty much know what that image/identity looks like for Vrabel. Talent and speed are a given. Good players, solid people. Sound fundamentals and work ethic. Team players. But above all, versatile, "effort and finish" and "violence".
The Pats outbullied the Chargers, Texans, and Broncos, then got bullied by the Seahawks. I bet that hurt. A lot. We want to be the bully kicking sand in other people's faces, not on the receiving end.
3. Building Around the Lines
To that end, I see this as a build around the lines Draft, which means passing on "shiny" (to use @DaBruinz term) offensive weapons, and even back end pieces. Shiny doesn't win championships. Bully does. Eliot Wolf talked a little about the lines being a strength of this draft.
4. Overloading is good.
Make what is good better, make what is better best. Championships are won with dominant units, not with average across the board. Rob Staton talks about this re the Seahawks:
Just because you have a decent starter on a unit doesn't mean you don't pass the opportunity to upgrade. Don't automatically pass on Keylan Rutledge or Emmanuel Pregnon just because you have Mike Onwenu. Don't automatically pass on Jacob Rodriguez just because you have Robert Spillane. Don't automatically pass on Kayden McDonald just because you have Christian Barmore. We want cornerstone players and identity changers, not placeholders or role fillers.
5. Reaching to fill holes is bad.
Above all, don't do this. The draft is not primaroly about filling holes for 2026. It is about building for the long term.
No need is absolute - not OL, not EDGE, not WR, not LB, not TE, not anything. We won't fill them all. The sky won't fall if we miss out on one, or more. Add long term difference makers and identity changers, not short term hole fillers and role players.
6. Late Day 3 and UDFA will have a huge impact.
I see this draft as having 2 halves fir the Pats: (i) Adding foundational talent and identity with picks 31-131; and (ii) adding depth and developmental talent, filling holes, and betting on traits with picks 171 and on.
If a foundational LB like Jacob Rodriguez or Jake Golday falls into our laps, take him. Otherwise, address the position day 3. The same holds at almost every other position.
A ton of draftable talent will go undraftable. The team could fill 1-2 holes through UDFA. Those top-30 visits will be huge in signing priority targets. Agreements should be in place prior to the draft.
7. Guys who seem to fit the Part:
Here's 20+ guys who I think epitomize violence, effort and finish, excluding guys who are likely to go top 20 (this is not a board):
1. Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami. Ok, I lied about the top 20 part, though Bain's driving fatality incident could drop him. But no player epitomizes violence, effort and finish more than Bain, who is basically Smokin' Joe Frazier with cleats.
2. Kayden McDonald, DL, Ohio St. Hulk Hogan mentality and physicality, Mikhail Baryshnikov feet. I love Caleb Banks, but if you are building an identity around violence, effort, and finish, McDonald's the guy.
3. Keylan Rutledge, IOL, George Tech. "I imagine myself putting my helmet through the other guy's chest." The only guy as violent as Rueben Bain. Described by many as the toughest player in the draft.
4. Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona St. A sumo wrestler. Great feet, powerful upper body, kamikaze mentality.
5. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson. A former wrestler, and it shows.
6. Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois. A former wrestler, and it shows.
7. Jake Golday, LB/EDGE, Cincinnati. One of the most versatile players in the draft, epitomizes effort and finish.
8. Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech. Darth Maul at LB. Jedi instincts, Sith mentality. CJ Allen has the Jedi skills, but not the Sith mentality.
9. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Nick Emmanwori lite in terms of athleticism, but much more violent and physical.
10. Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn St. Physically imposing, athletic, high effort guy.
11. Keyron Crawford., EDGE, Auburn. Unrelenting.
12. Sam Roush, TE, Stanford. Eff these receiving TEs and H-backs. The Vrabel offense needs guys who will kick defenders out of the club. Roush fits the bill.
13. Will Kacmarek, TE, Ohio St. See 12 above.
14. Keionte Scott. A DB with a LB mentality. Explosive, versatile playmaker.
15. Mike Washington, RB, Arkansas. Only RB on this list. Punishes defenders.
16. Chris Bell, WR, Louisville. Only WR on this list. Violence, effort and finish from a WR, who plays like a LB.
17. VJ Payne, DB, Kansas St. 6'3' 210# with 4.4 speed and outside CB coverage skills, but hits like Kam Chancellor.
18. Kaleb Proctor, DL, SE Louisiana St. Closest thing to Milt Williams in a while.
19. Trey Moore, LB/EDGE, Texas. Manx ahead of everyone yet again.
20. Jordan Van den Berg, DL, Georgia Tech. Those Georgia Tech linemen eat their Wheaties.
21. Rene Konga, DL, Louisville.
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